Thursday 14 January 2021

Crocodile Hunting, France, July 1996

I took a car through the Channel Tunnel and spent just under a week in France, via Douai, Metz and Nancy, including the railway museum at Mulhouse. However there was a main focus upon the early 25kV 50Hz electric locomotives, which were going through mass withdrawal.

BB 12000: BB 12106 in freight service at Douai, with the Arbel Fauvet wagon works in the background. New to traffic on 19th May 1958, withdrawn from Lens on 1st November 1997.

BB 12024 was new on 28th January 1957, withdrawn from Lens 11th December 1998.

BB 12087 was new on 13th December 1957, and was withdrawn on 3rd December 1992 from Mohon, after which it was placed on display at Nouvion sur Meuse, where it still is located.

CC 14100: CC 14161, new on 5th November 1955, withdrawn from Thionville, 2nd April 1993. Placed on display outside E Leclerc, at Conflans-en-Jarnisy, from March 1994, and still present.

CC 14000: CC 14018 completed 7th February 1959, and withdrawn 31st December 1981 from Mohon, to preservation at Mulhouse. This variant had three phase motors, now a common technology, but then not particularly reliable.

Withdrawn CC 14154 leads two other members of the class at Thionville, which was their home depot. New on 26th June 1955 and withdrawn on 13th February 1995.

CC 14131 in freight traffic at Thionville. New on 25th November 1955, withdrawn 3rd February 1997.

Also at Thionville, this is CC 14129, with a container train. New on 1st November 1955, withdrawn 3rd February 1997.

BB 12035 heading north from Woippy through Hagondange. New on 31st July 1957, withdrawn from LeLens 13th December 1999, which was the last month of operation for the class.

BB 12073, also heading north through Hagondange. New on 3rd August 1957, withdrawn from Lens on 1st November 1997.

BB 12000 list at Trains du Sud-Ouest